Santa Barbara Independent Real Estate 12/26/24

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3570

5850

4BD/2BA • $2,195,000 Laura Drammer, 805.448.7500 LIC# 01209580

3375 FOOTHILL RD #713, CARPINTERIA

2BD/2BA • $1,100,000

Rachael Douglas, 805.318.0900 LIC# 02024147

340 OLD MILL RD SPC 12, SANTA BARBARA

2BD/2BA • $499,000

Kalia Rork / Rachel Brown, 805.689.0614 LIC# 01313668 / 01950975

CRISTAL CLARKE

on the successful representation of the seller at 435 Ennisbrook Dr, Sold for $9,165,000.

CRISTAL CLARKE

805.886.9378

Cristal@Montecito-Estate.com

Montecito-Estate.com DRE 00968247

on the successful representation of the buyer & seller at 1355 Danielson Rd, Sold for $4,775,000 & representation of the seller at 102 Alameda Padre Serra, Sold for $1,600,000.

NANCY KOGEVINAS

805.331.7577

Nancy@Kogevinas.com

MontecitoProperties.com DRE 01209514

on the successful representation of the buyer at 722 Willowglen Rd, Listed for $2,729,000.

on the successful representation of the buyer at 435 Ennisbrook Dr, Sold for $9,165,000.

ANNETTE VAIT

805.886.1926

AnnetteVait@bhhscal.com

AnnetteVait.bhhscalifornia.com DRE 02044281

805.565.4014

Home@MKGroupMontecito.com

MontecitoFineEstates.com DRE 01426886

EASTER TEAM REALTORS

on the successful representation of the seller at 722 Willowglen Rd, Listed for $2,729,000.

EASTER

805.570.0403

Associates@EasterTeamRealtors.com EasterTeamRealtors.com DRE 00917775

ALI EVANS

on the successful representation of the seller at 40 S Ontare Rd, Sold for $2,347,358.

ALI EVANS

805.980.8007

Ali@AliEvansRealty.com AliEvansRealty.com DRE 01846603

NANCY KOGEVINAS
ANNETTE VAIT

In Praise of the Porch

The front porch: It’s the transition between the great outdoors and the living room; a space to sit in comfort and breathe fresh air; a place to read, to contemplate, and to watch the world. We decorate our porches with an emphasis on comfort, we hang our flags to celebrate the seasons, and we wave to friends as they pass by.

Author Ray Bradbury, who regularly appeared in Santa Barbara as a guest lecturer, for book signings, and as the keynote speaker at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, had an intriguing take on the decline of the front porch in his classic, Fahrenheit 451:

No front porches. My uncle says there used to be front porches. And people sat there sometimes at night, talking when they wanted to talk, rocking, and not talking when they didn’t want to talk. Sometimes they just sat there and thought about things, turned things over. My uncle says the architects got rid of the front porches because they didn’t look well. But my uncle says that was merely rationalizing it; the real reason, hidden underneath, might be they didn’t want people sitting like that, doing nothing, rocking, talking; that was the wrong KIND of social life. People talked too much. And they had time to think. So they ran off with the porches.

I’ve been lucky enough to make our family home in a 1912 Craftsman bungalow for more than three decades. This old house is practically a member of the family with a welcoming personality all its own. It has many fine features — stained glass, built-in-bookcases, and window seats among them — but one of its most pleasant aspects is the cozy front porch. Over the years, it has been the place where we’ve enjoyed many meals, glasses of wine, and pitchers of

lemonade; quiet moments, meaningful conversations, and countless hours snuggled in the rocking chair reading to children. It’s a comforting place that facilitates authentic and respectful communication, equally pleasant for solo contemplation or curling up with a good book.

Increasingly, the old front porch has taken on a new use as a meeting place, especially during the social-distancing requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic. In my role as a literacy advocate, I met regularly with parents concerned about how to help their struggling children. Since then, it’s functioned as a welcoming office space for strategy sessions, planning meetings, and the mutual exchange of ideas on community issues ranging from preservation to political campaigns.

The front porch is a cool place of quiet refuge on a hot day. Looking outward into the world, it is also an inherently social spot for engaging — not only with invited guests but with the considerable number of pedestrians in a walkable

neighborhood. During the Santa Barbara Bowl season, we feel the excitement of concertgoers and often exchange greetings. During our annual Halloween night porch party, we welcome and express appreciation for the costumed trick-or-treaters who make their way up the steps to the decorated porch and reward them for their efforts with candy treats.

As the end-of-the-year holidays approach and the New Year beckons, we bundle up from the cold, sip a cup of hot tea. In the silence and stillness, surrounded by lights and seasonal decor, we remember those who have been here and feel the presence of those who are no longer with us.

We take comfort in the timeless pleasure of the porch as it beckons us to slow down, to take time from our hurried lives, silence our phones and improve our minds and our spirits.

As Bradbury noted, “Heaven is a house with porch lights.”

Cheri Rae is a longtime neighborhood advocate and the author of A String of Pearls: Pearl Chase of Santa Barbara. She is a boardmember of the Pearl Chase Society and the longtime editor of the society’s newsletter The Capital, where this article first appeared. Email Cheri at pcs@pearlchasesociety.org or visit pearlchasesociety.org.
The glider on the front porch a wedding gift in 1990 is still in great shape and decorated for the season. Come sit on the porch and share some stories.
This huge toyon shrub, also known as Christmas berry, started out as a tiny plant purchased at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. It seems to like its home.
Vintage Raggedy Ann and Andy were handmade by my mother decades ago. The dollhouse was built from the remains of an old-growth redwood barn for my daughter. Now her daughter plays with it on the old front porch.
OUR SANTA BARBARA
by Cheri Rae

An exclusive luxury penthouse located in the heart of Downtown Santa Barbara. Originally built in 2004 and later redesigned by renowned architect John Beauchamp, this single-level residence offers sweeping views of the city, mountains, and treetops. Combining classic craftsman-style exterior architecture with a sleek, modern interior, the home seamlessly blends sophistication and comfort. The open-concept design highlights vaulted ceilings, wide-plank hardwood floors, and a cozy fireplace, along with a custom-built dining area. The sunlit deck, featuring Jeff Shelton-designed retractable awnings, is ideal for alfresco dining. The primary suite includes a private balcony, a spa-inspired bathroom, and an expansive walk-in closet. The guest suite comes with a full bath that also serves as a powder room.

& Thornburgh, LLP

VanessaShotwell Team Shotwell

SBAOR ANNOUNCES 2024 AWARD WINNERS

The Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS® held its annual Installation and Awards Luncheon on December 5th. In addition to installing its 2025 officers and board of directors, the following awards were presented to recognize outstanding efforts. Congratulations to all of these deserving honorees.

Howard Gates Award RACHEL BROWN
REALTOR® Award of Excellence
BARBARA KOUTNIK
Producer Agent by volume NANCY KOGEVINAS
Top Producer Agent by units LAURA DRAMMER
REALTOR® Community Service Award
JOHN NISBET

I’m thrilled to have represented the buyers of this beautiful Riviera retreat. This private, light-filled home in the heart of Santa Barbara features a great room with vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, and a stone fireplace, all framed by stunning ocean and city views. Congratulations to my clients on finding their dream home.

Our Favorite Success Stories from 2024!

The Trade-Up!

Sold for $3,835,000

The International Client!

900 Las Alturas is an architecturally stunning Mediterranean home with sweeping mountain, foothill, and ocean views. We originally sold this home to our client in 2022, and while it is a lovely home that they enjoyed for two years, they were ready to trade up to a larger residence that would comfortably house their multiple children and grandchildren when visiting. And sure enough, with a little patience, the perfect replacement home hit the market in June. We contacted them immediately, and secured it the following day. As soon as they moved into the replacement home we scheduled and oversaw the exterior painting, professional staging, and photography for Las Alturas. After a successful marketing period, we procured a great offer with a quick closing and no contingencies. The clients are happily enjoying their new home just in time to host the entire family for the holidays!

Your Mesa Realtors

209 La Jolla was a very fun and extremely successful sale. This was not your typical West Mesa cottage! This home was completely reimagined into an ultra-modern residence by the previous owner and architect. The current owner was a wonderful client that contacted us through our website from London. She and her family were not using the property as often as they would have liked and knew it was time to part ways. She was not able to make it to the states during the sale, so she needed someone who she could trust as her “boots on the ground.” After a few phone meetings and emails, we gained her trust and she let us take it from there. We oversaw the staging, handyman items, landscaping, and pre-market inspections. Strategic pricing and aggressive marketing efforts led to 8 offers. It sold substantially over the asking price after multiple counter offers and negotiations. She was thrilled with the results. And if you can believe it, we never met her in person until about two days prior to closing, but when we did, it was like we had known each other forever!

1427

Sold for $3,501,000

The Family Home!

329 San Ysidro

Offered at $3,250,000

Kenwood Road

1547 Shoreline Drive

Offered at $7,995,000

1553 Shoreline Drive

Offered at $3,495,000

2bed/2bath (easy modification to a 3 bedroom) single-level home with mountain and city views. Enjoy the with vaulted ceilings, an updated kitchen, living room fireplace, and dual-pane windows/sliders. The features a stainless steel Viking stove and dishwasher. The second bedroom is over-sized, as it was previously The spacious backyard features a large deck and natural landscaping. This backyard is ready to be transparadise. There is plenty of room for lawn, fruit trees, jungle-gym, trampoline, and more. Towering over a gorgeous oak tree providing wonderful shade over the deck. This home is located on a very quiet, tucked away cul-de-sac at the end of Kenwood Road. Attached 2-car garage with interior access.

privacy on this fabulous Montecito estate. Resting at the property is a charming Craftsman style home circa 1912. Today, it modern amenities, and still charm. Located in MUS.

Sold for $2,400,000

1347 Cliff Drive was a very special sale. This was one of those truly bittersweet transactions after the passing of a loved one. The two children inherited the family home they both grew up in after the passing of their mom at age 90. Their parents were the original owners of this home that was built in 1953 and purchased by them in August of 1954. Over 70 years of ownership in the same family! We knew going in, this was going to be an emotional sale. Our only priority was making sure it was at their pace, when they were ready to proceed, and then honoring their parents by giving them the very best representation we can offer. After a little spruce up with exterior paint, landscaping, and staging, the home was ready for a new family to start their journey. The property was sold, and by no coincidence, closed on what would have been their late mother’s birthday. The perfect ending to an era of wonderful memories.

OFFERED AT $998,500

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and prosperous new year!

Rare ocean front estate on the Mesa! This spectacular 4bed/4.5bath ultra-luxury property boasts ~5,100+ sq. ft. of living space resting on over 1/2 acre of prime California coastline. Enjoy unparalleled ocean views from every corner of this contemporary home. Must see in person!

1/2 acre ocean front lot! This is a once in a life time opportunity to purchase a vacant piece of ocean front property located in one of Santa Barbara’s most desirable neighborhoods. Build your dream home to the exact specifications that you desire. Panoramic ocean views! The Richardson Team

Mike and Kyle Richardson Team@mrrealtors.com

Mike and Kyle Richardson Team@mrrealtors.com 805.963.1704

805.963.1704

www.mrrealtors.com

www.sbrealtor.com

DRE Lic. #00635254 + #01902531

BRE Lic. #00635254 + #01902531

SOCIETY

SOCIETY MATTERS : YEAR IN PICTURES

Santa Barbara–based nonprofits hosted hundreds of events this year to raise crucial funding for their work. I covered a few dozen of them, writing stories that typically went beyond the event to convey the nature, scope, and importance of the organizations’ work. Here are some of my favorite photos from the events, which not only raise critical funds, but are also some of the best parties in town. n

MATTERS Text and photos by Gail Arnold
Zoofari: S.B. Zoo past board chairs Kelly Jensen, Rhonda Henderson, and Amy Pryor
Community Environmental Council Green Gala Event Committee: Sima Morrison, Lucy Firestone, Connie Maday, Michelle Weinman (co-chair and boardmember), Jessica McLernon, Truman Davies, Katy Powers (co-chair), Carolyn Fitzgerald (co-chair), Nicole Delesalle, and Mally Chakola
S.B. Yacht Club Charity Regatta: S.B. Yacht Club Commodore Dennis Boneck, Sandy Boneck, VNA Health Foundation Director Lailan McGrath, and VNA Health President and CEO Kieran Shah
Granada Theatre Legends Gala: Past honoree Kenny Loggins and Lisa Hawkins
Michael Towbes Library Plaza Palooza: Mayor Randy Rowse and Anne Smith Towbes preside over ribbon cutting.
Therapy Dogs of S.B. Fashion Show: Boardmember and volunteer Kim Lieberman, Founder and Director of Wellness Programs Karen Lee Stevens, and Executive Director Carey Bradshaw
Environmental Defense Center Green & Blue event: Honoree Heal the Ocean Co-Founder and Executive Director Hillary Hauser, EDC Executive Director Alex Katz, and EDC Chief Counsel Linda Krop
Foodbank of S.B. County Empty Bowls event: Congressman Salud Carbajal (4th from left) with (L-R) Kathy Pfeifer, Linda Krop, Ginny Kuhn, Marla Van Stein, and Victoria Greene
Ensemble Theatre Company Curtain Up event: Jackson Gillies, Lois Mahalia, and Miriam Dance perform.
S.B. Youth Sailing Foundation: Mayor and SB Yacht Club member Randy Rowse officiates at Kelp (ribbon) Cutting for new Clubhouse.

Diversity in Energy Generation and Storage

Kern County has become the renewable energy hub of California and key to our state achieving its clean energy goals. Long a producer of power from wind, it has recently added large-scale solar projects. Although Kern County sends renewable energy all over the state, the bulk of this energy goes to L.A.’s homes and businesses. One farm, Eland, when fully online, will produce 7 percent of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (DWP) electricity. Eland would not be remarkable if only a solar farm, but it is linked with lithium-ion battery storage banks 172 Tesla megapacks, capable of delivering 300 megawatts for peak use after sunset.

Lithium-ion batteries are good for short-term storage, up to four hours, but not good for longer periods of cloudy, low-wind days when the sun and wind are unable to generate electricity. Building enough battery storage to

fully cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year would require exorbitant amounts of money, leading to higher energy bills. Consequently, the strategy is to invest in diversity: a mix of geothermal, hydropower, more distant wind farms, and even some nuclear power. The DWP is building a new, gas-fired plant that will use some green hydrogen in lieu of natural gas, with the goal of eventually shifting to 100 percent hydrogen. Green hydrogen is a clean fuel made from water and renewable energy.

Longer-term storage is mainly being done using mountain reservoirs operating as “pumped storage” where excess solar or wind energy pumps water uphill to the higher reservoir. When power is needed, water can be released to run downhill, turning turbines and generating electricity. It is collected at the lower lake, ready to repeat the cycle. The DWP uses the Castaic and Pyramid lakes for “pumped storage.”

Sarah Sinclair gives you the inside scoop on real estate in The Home Page, going behind the scenes each Sunday to visit our region’s casitas, cottages, and castles. Sign up at independent.com/newsletters

independent.com/news

For intermediate storage, around 12 hours, flow batteries are gaining adoption. The water from tanks containing liquid electrolytes is pumped through electrode membranes to extract electrons. Compared with lithium-ion batteries they currently cost more, require more space, and are less portable. On the other hand, they are safer and have an unlimited cycling life. Lithium batteries are good for about 7,000 cycles.

Although L.A.’s DWP has a sordid history, it is forging a new story as a climate leader and with record-low electrical rates, far lower than Southern California Edison’s rates. It is targeting 98 percent climate-friendly electricity in six years and 100 percent by 2035, a decade earlier than the state’s same goal.

Even being only half operational at present, Eland has been performing superbly and is optimizing the use of wind and solar generation to fit demand. When fully online, Eland will get L.A. to 64 percent clean energy. Planners are facilitating the permitting process for energy developers by steering them away from federal public lands, areas close to homes, and prime wildlife habitat. Kern County benefits by gaining good-paying construction jobs and per-acre payments from developers that fund government services.

Dennis Allen is chair of Allen Construction, an employee-owned company committed to building and operating sustainably. He is also former chair of the Dean’s Council at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB and a former boardmember of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

If you would like Betsy to trace your home’s history for her column, send her a message through the contact page of her website: betsyjgreen.com.

Since 1988, we have been deeply honored to serve our incredible clients and be a part of this wonderful community. As we celebrate 36 years of providing unparalleled concierge-level service, we are filled with gratitude for the trust and support of the 2,600 clients who have allowed us to be part of their journeys. Looking ahead, we remain committed to serving both current and future clients with the same dedication and passion that have defined us since the beginning.

We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to you—our clients, friends, and neighbors. May your holiday be filled with warmth, laughter, and cherished moments with your loved ones. Happy Holidays from all of us!

OPEN HOUSES

Goleta

5721 Armitos Avenue, 3BD, 2BA, Sat & Sun 1-3, $1,450,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Katinka Goertz 805-7089616, DRE#01871645

San Roque

702 E Calle Laureles, 4BD, 3BA, Sat 1-3, $3,550,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Erika Burrows 805-886-1588, DRE#00968247

The Riviera

1235 Mission Ridge Road, 4BD, 3BA, Sun 1-3, $3,850,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Katya Sheets 805-7082323, DRE#01378431

Santa Barbara

521 E Anapamu Street Unit C6, 2BD, 2BA, Sun 1-4, $1,587,700, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, James St James 805-708-7118, DRE#01369539

509 Coronel Place, 2BD, 1BA, Sun 1-4, $1,750,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Anthony Bordin 805-729-0527, DRE#00974047

2335 State Street, 3BD, 2BA, Sat 1-3, $2,470,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Andy Katsev 805-896-2010, DRE#01348655

Saturday 12/28 & Sunday 12/29

700 Mateo Court, 3BD, 2BA, Sat & Sun 1-3, $2,695,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Steve Heller / Erika Burrows 805-252-2749 / 805-8861588, DRE#00917775

1523 Portesuello Avenue, 5BD, 3.5BA, Sat 1-3, $2,995,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Katya Sheets 805-7082323, DRE#01463617

3319 Braemar Drive, 5BD, 3BA, Sun 1-4, $5,100,000, Sotheby’s International Realty, Frank Abatemarco 805-450-4744, DRE#01320375 Montecito

627 Romero Canyon Road, 4BD, 4.5BA, Sat 1-3, $3,795,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Kristen Maggitti 805-8958387, DRE#01426886

Santa Ynez Valley

554 Oakville Drive, 3BD, 2.5BA, Sat 11-2, $795,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Brooke Fraser 805-550-8601, DRE#00999839

350 Midten Hof, 4BD, 2.5BA, Sat 11-1, $1,199,000, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, Daulton Wolf 805-757-6797, DRE#01209580

Steve Epstein DRE #994429
Kendrick Guehr DRE #1964065
Stan Aslanian DRE #1866069
Jedd Hewitt DRE #2118814
Kate Heitmann DRE #2160043
Stan Krome DRE #967246
Charles Brewer DRE #1477889 Roman Lic. #600029
Mark Heitmann DRE #1007490 Ajia Orozco Marketing

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